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Broadband Networks is now a Watch Communications company

Broadband Networks Wireless Internet Announced as New Brand Name for Omnicity, Incorporated

April 30, 2013

New name, logo reflect new management team and company values

INDIANAPOLIS - Broadband Networks has announced Broadband Networks Wireless Internet as the new brand name for the company formerly known as Omnicity, Incorporated. Broadband Networks purchased the Rushville-based, wireless broadband Internet service provider in December 2012.

Broadband Networks Wireless Internet will continue to work to provide quality service and support, faster speed, more reliability, larger coverage areas and new and exciting products for its customers.

“We have made significant investments in new technology and network reliability, and we felt a new name and logo would help better reflect our new brand,” said Broadband Networks Principal Buz Nesbit.

“Broadband Networks Wireless Internet offers our customers in rural Indiana and Ohio improved access by building new fiber optic connections to the Internet,” said Broadband Networks Principal Dave Bash. “We have increased connection speeds by improving the customer’s on-ramp to the Internet, and we have been updating other areas of the network and building out our system to double available speeds in many areas. While not all areas are completed, we will continue this process throughout Indiana and Ohio over the next few months.”

The Broadband Networks Wireless Internet offices will remain in Rushville, Ind. The company continues the mission to serve as many customers as possible while remaining committed to using the best technology to improve the customer experience.

“We have been very pleased with our growth in the last few months, and we are excited more people are recognizing the value of our service and are becoming new customers,” Nesbit said. “We have increased our speeds, and customers are enjoying better Internet surfing with faster connections. We have subscribers in 29 counties in Indiana and nine counties in Ohio, and we plan to continue building our networks to serve even more people in need of Internet connectivity in these rural areas.”

Omnicity, Incorporated filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Sept. 29, 2011, with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Indiana. A reorganization plan was approved, and ownership of the company was transferred to Broadband Networks. The new owners have more than 100 years of collective experience in companies providing high-tech and Internet services.

For more information on Broadband Networks Wireless Internet and the Broadband Networks team, visit www.broadbandnetworks.com.

Broadband Networks Wireless Internet provides reliable, wireless high-speed Internet service to rural America. With more than 100 years of collective experience in providing high-tech services, the company principals bring broadband to the Heartland with a mission to serve as many customers as possible while remaining committed to using the best technology to improve the customer experience.

New Ownership of Omnicity Should Speed Up Wireless Installations

December 6, 2012

COSHOCTON — Wireless Internet installation in rural areas of Coshocton County should resume soon, according to the new owners of Omnicity, Inc., the company that has an agreement with the county to use public and private resources to install broadband.

“We think there’s a pent up demand as nothing’s been going on for about 18 months or so,” said David Bash, a principal with Broadband Networks. “Our task is to reenergize and get moving forward with installing our product.”

Broadband Networks acquired ownership of Omnicity through the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, where the company had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September 2011. The reorganization plan was approved by the court and ownership has been transferred to Broadband Networks, also an Indiana company.

Commissioner Gary Fischer said service for current customers has not been interrupted during the bankruptcy proceedings, and commissioners should meet the principals of Broadband Networks soon.

According to a 2011 study by Connect Ohio, 86 percent of residences in Coshocton County, or 14,222 residential units, have access to the Internet, which is above the state average of 82 percent. Home ownership of computers also is above the state average at 81 percent, compared to 80 percent. However, only 58 percent, or 9,590 residences, subscribe to high-speed Internet, according to the study.

While residents in cities and villages often have access to high speed internet through fiber-optic land lines, Bash said installing the lines is not an economically feasible practice for outlying regions of the county. The advancement of wireless technology has provided a more practical solution to reaching those areas, he said.

The new Omnicity, a Broadband Networks Company, will continue with the mission to provide wireless high-speed Internet service to rural areas. The company has deployed services in nine Ohio counties, including Coshocton, and 30 counties in Indiana.

People who previously signed-up to inquire about services should receive written notification soon, either by regular mail or email, that installations are resuming, Bash said.

Bash said he’s been to Ohio and Coshocton County a few times, and remarked on the change in topography from northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana.

The coverage area definitely is different with many more hills and trees, he said.

Engineers already are working on design plans to determine where more antennas and towers need to be placed to work around the terrain.

Omnicity plans to begin an expansion to serve more customers as soon as possible, adding to its existing base of more than 5,000 Internet subscribers in Indiana and Ohio. Omnicity reported about 450 of those customers were in Coshocton County earlier this year.